From celebrations welcoming the Year of the Dog to new high-profile art exhibition openings, check out the top LA weekend events for February 15-18.

Edited by Christina Wiese.

EVENTS

NBA All-Star WeekendFeb. 16-18. Hoop fans, rejoice. L.A. is hosting the NBA All-Star Weekend for a record sixth time, bringing basketball’s biggest names to Staples Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center. Events open to the public include: the Rising Stars Practice and Game; the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, featuring some of the biggest stars in film, TV, music and sports; and the NBA All-Star Practice, where fans can watch the entire NBA All-Star squad train for Sunday’s game. View website for full schedule. nbaevents.com

The 119th Annual Golden Dragon Parade and Chinese New Year Festival Feb. 17. Celebrate the Lunar New Year in Chinatown with this parade—the oldest celebration of its kind in America—which features about two dozen floats and multiple marching bands. Chinese New Year Festival offers a culinary stage, cultural performances, family-friendly workshops, food trucks, face painting, magic and more. Parade 1-3 p.m., festival noon-8 p.m. Free, parade grandstand tickets $10-$20. lagoldendragonparade.com

Year of the Dog Celebration Feb. 17. Head west to Santa Monica Place for a day-long celebration commemorating the Year of the Dog. Hosted by Katherine Ho from The Voice, festivities include a traditional Chinese dragon dance, Korean fan dance, stilt walkers, classical folk Chinese music, New Year’s Wishing Trees, crafts for kids and more. 2-6 p.m. Free. Level one in Center Plaza, 395 Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica. 310.499.2928. santamonicaplace.com

Early Bird Special at Love & Salt
Every Saturday. Situated a stone’s throw away from the Manhattan Beach Pier, the Italian-inspired eatery is now offering the first 15 brunch guests of the day a free breakfast sandwich featuring housemade chicken sausage, fontina, pesto and scrambled eggs. Early risers can upgrade their sandwich with a $5 Tequila Sunrise, which they should, because brunch without booze is just breakfast. Cheers! Brunch service starts at 10 a.m. 317 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan Beach, 310.545.5252. loveandsaltla.com

ARTS + CULTURE

‘Meleko Mokgosi: Bread, Butter, and Power’ Now on View. The Fowler Museum at UCLA presents a new exhibition featuring 20 large-scale episodic paintings from artist Meleko Mokgosi. Themes of democracy and feminism in southern Africa are woven throughout the new installation which also questions the concept of dividing labor practices by gender. W noon-8 p.m., Th-Su noon-5 p.m. Free. Fowler Museum, 308 Charles E. Young Dr. N., L.A., 310.825.4361. fowler.ucla.edu

Emancipation Proclamation at NHMLA Feb. 16-Mar. 30. Coinciding with Presidents’ Day, now is your chance to see a rare edition of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln. This print is one of only two signed by Lincoln in museum collections on the West Coast. Open daily 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. $15 adults; $12 seniors and students; $7 children; Free for members. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Blvd., L.A. nhm.org

‘Candide’Through Feb. 18. Voltaire’s 1759 satire about optimism and disillusionment comes to life in composer Leonard Bernstein’s comedic operetta of the same name. Conducted by James Conlon, the production stars two-time Tony winner Christine Ebersole and six-time Emmy winner Kelsey Grammer, who plays both author Voltaire and optimistic philosopher Pangloss. Tenor Jack Swanson portrays the young, innocent protagonist. Candide is a co-production of the Glimmerglass Festival, Opéra National de Bordeaux and Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse. See website for showtimes and ticket pricing. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown. laopera.org

‘Caravaggio: Masterpieces from the Galleria Borghese’Extended Through Feb. 21. For a limited time only, experience a rare exhibition featuring three celebrated works by world-famous Italian painter Caravaggio. The three paintings—Boy with a Basket of Fruit, Saint Jerome and David with the Head of Goliath—highlight Caravaggio’s bold, naturalistic style and will be viewed alongside The Getty’s exceptional collection of Italian masterpieces. Tu-F, Su 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sa 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Closed Mondays. Free. 1200 Getty Center Dr., L.A. getty.edu

Museum of FailureThrough Feb. 18. Celebrate history’s failed products and services at this quirky, experiential exhibit. Expect artifacts spanning from the 17th century right up to present day, including the Segway, one of Apple’s few unsuccessful devices and a movie case from Blockbuster (RIP). GA $15, seniors/military/A+D members $8. A+D Architecture and Design Museum, 900 E. 4th St., downtown. failuremusuem.com